SANTIAGO, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Chile's state-run copper

company Codelco registered its best production of the year in

October, Chairman Maximo Pacheco said on Thursday.

The world's top copper miner has been struggling to lift

output after hitting historic lows in the last two years.

Last week, the company reported its production through

September had fallen 4.9% compared to the same period a year

earlier.

Pacheco did not detail how much production amounted to in

October, but said it outdid the same month last year.

"October was the best month in the year so far," he said in

a statement. "We were able to exceed our monthly production

target and also that of the same month in 2023."

Codelco is aiming for production this year of between 1.325

million and 1.352 million tons, below an initial estimate of as

much as 1.390 million tons.

At the same time, Codelco is venturing for the first time

into lithium production, beginning with an agreement to enter a

partnership with the world's no. 2 producer SQM in Chile's

Atacama salt flat.

Pacheco said the company needed to develop a plan to

reduce the extraction of brine, where lithium is found, and

inland waters, to ensure responsible production. He said Codelco

would not use desalinated water transported to the area.